Minnesota Department of Transportation to Use New Terms to Describe Winter Driving Conditions Starting This Winter

The quickly approaching 2014-2015 winter season will see new terms used by the Minnesota Department of Transportation to describe winter driving conditions. The new terms will offer a more descriptive concept of what to expect on winter road than the older, more subjective terms.

The old road conditions terms used by MnDOT were on a scale that went from "good" to "fair", followed by "difficult" and then "hazardous/travel not advised". The obvious problem is what one driver may view as "good" driving conditions, others may view as more degraded. After receiving complaints about the vague terms, the state's transportation department has decided to shift to a new system that goes into place starting this season:

Normal

Dry or wet pavement. May include icy bridge decks.

Partially Covered

Ice, sleet/slush, snow or mixture of these causing the roadway to be partially covered (up to 50%)

Roadway may become slick, snow packed or rutted

Moderate blowing and drifting snow

Drivers may experience difficulty seeing road markings

Normal traffic speeds MAY be impacted due to visibility and precipitation